Silent Shields

A book that commemorate the shields that protect the city, such that it only floods with prosperity, and nothing else.

Hong Kong is not a city that is plagued natural disasters, but its subtropical climate has made it prone to floods. In 2004, the Drainage Services Department initiated a series of tunnel construction projects that would span across almost 10 years, before it is eventually fully materialised in 2013. The book ‘Silent Shields’ narrates the details of the construction, from the innovations involved in the process to the actual process itself, commemorating an otherwise concealed project.

The cover features a simplified visual of a tunnel boring machine printed on a black vinyl-like base to mimic the spinning motion of said machine. Neutral and unsaturated colour tones keep the narrative grounded, yet reflects the monumentality that comes with every move in the process. The predominantly black and white theme conveys the historical quality to the events recounted within. 

Understandably, the technicalities of tunnel boring may be boring to some, if not most. Nonetheless, the design in this book hopes to recreate faithfully, with a certain amount of visual and intellectual stimulation, the steps taken to construct these drainage systems in Hong Kong, and in doing so, compliment the message behind the book.

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